08.10.2024
On Thursday and Friday, October 3rd and 4th, the conference “Islands as Diverse Spaces” was held at the University Centre of the Westfjords. The aim of the conference was to highlight the importance of islands and remote communities, which are constantly evolving and crucial to study. One of the key characteristics of islands and remote communities is resilience, biological diversity, and cultural richness. Islands and remote communities also play an important role in terms of international ecological and cultural heritage. With this role in mind, the conference aimed to explore island communities through three broad themes: culture, language, and education.
20.09.2024
The University Centre of the Westfjords (UW) will be a part of the “Green Meets Blue Project” financed by the Nordic Council of Ministers for Fisheries, Aquaculture, Agriculture, Food and Forestry (NCM FJLS). The project is led by Nordregio, with UW, and the University of Highlands and Islands (Scotland) as collaborators. Matthias Kokorsch, academic director at UW, is the project leader for the Icelandic case study. He is supported by Research Assistants Rebecca and Tabea, both current UW master’s students, as well as UW alumn and instructor Maria Wilke, who wrote her PhD on public participation in marine spatial planning.
16.09.2024
On Friday, September 13th, a conference on the social and solidarity economy took place at the University Centre of the Westfjords (UW). Over 50 people attended the conference, and the lectures were as interesting as they were diverse. The conference began with light refreshments provided by UW, and Peter Weiss, the director, welcomed the attendees and gave an opening address. He also announced the absence of the President of Iceland, Halla Tómasdóttir, who was unable to attend due to a funeral.
06.09.2024
Last Saturday, the new UW master’s students went on a trip to Vigur Island, an Arctic island located in the northwest of Iceland, renowned for its importance as a habitat for birdlife and its eiderdown collection. The group consisted of UW master’s students from the Coastal Marine Management program and the Coastal Communities and Regional Development program. Also with them were master’s students from the Climate Change and Global Sustainability (CCGS) program at the School of International Training in Vermont. The CCGS students are spending a semester with us here at UW.
04.09.2024
Our academic director, Matthias, and two of our master students recently went on a trip to the Faroe Islands. They joined the GLISFO workshop: Greenland-Iceland-Faroe Islands Cooperation Workshop. This three-day workshop brought together researchers operating within Greenland, Iceland, and the Faroe Islands, to delve into areas of scientific significance and shared interest between the West Nordic countries. Organized by the Research Council of the Faroe Islands, the Greenland Research Council, Rannís – The Icelandic Centre for Research, and the Icelandic Arctic Cooperation Network, this workshop was intended to be a platform for meaningful exchange of ideas, insights and experiences and the kick-off for future scientific cooperation within the West Nordic community. The workshop covered all areas that are of relevance for the University Centre of the Westfjords and its research activities as well as course contents. Seminars and panels addressed green energy; social sciences; security/geopolitics; ocean, climate, and the Blue Economy; sustainability and culture; and health/genetics.
26.08.2024
It's thesis defense season again at the University Centre of the Westfjords. The first defense starts on Tuesday September 3rd. During this defense season 13 students will defend their theses in the coming weeks with many interesting topics. The defenses are open to the public and people are also invited to join through zoom. The links can be found in the table below.
23.08.2024
Today and tomorrow are orientation days at the University Centre of the Westfjords, where master's students are being welcomed and the new academic year is beginning. The student group present today consists of UW master's students enrolled in two programs: Coastal Marine Management and Coastal Communities and Regional Development. Also present were master's students in the Climate Change and Global Sustainability master’s program at the School of International Training in Vermont, who will stay at UW for one semester.
02.07.2024
UW’s master’s students have participated in a field course in Húsavík for many years, which is held during the summer by the Research Center of the University of Iceland in Húsavík. The course is called "Methods for Research on Marine Mammals" and is part of the Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Iceland. It is stated on the University of Iceland’s website that 25 students from various countries participated in the course this year, and a large part of them were UW students. UW students participate in the course as guest students, but over 10 years ago, state universities established a system that makes it much easier for guest students to take individual courses at other universities. UW participates in this system since students are officially enrolled at the University of Akureyri. Through the system, UW both receives and sends out students.
18.06.2024
The convocation was held yesterday on the national day of Iceland at Hrafnseyri where it was embedded in the national day’s festivities. With the convocation we celebrated the graduation of the students from the master’s programmes at UW, as well the graduation of distance learning students in the Westfjords. We had lovely weather and a very pleasant convocation celebration. As per usual, there was a cake buffet, soup, a music performance and the graduation ceremony. Graduates received their diploma from Eyjólfur Guðmundsson Rector of the University of Akureyri. Students also received a knitted diploma hat and a small tree that many graduates have planted at the hillside behind the church at Hrafnseyri, an area that is starting to resemble a growing forest of saplings, bigger each year.
24.05.2024
Today, the general meeting of UW took place. Peter Weiss, director of UW presented the annual report for 2023, which included an overview of positions, master's programs, marketing, distance learning, research and collaboration and much more at UW.